Massive Collection of Judaica Given to Bar-ilan U. by British Donor

August 23, 1963

LONDON (Aug. 22)

The massive Judaica collection of W. N. Williams was given today to Bar-Ilan University, of Ramat Gan, Israel, as a gift in a ceremony attended by Dr. Israel Brodie, Chief Rabbi of the British Commonwealth, and Rabbi Joseph H. Look-stein, honorary president of the University.

The books are in English, Hebrew, Yiddish and other languages. The collection covers the whole range of Judaica, from Talmudic writings to modern Hebrew literature. It includes a collection of Hebrew and Yiddish periodicals of the past 100 years.

The collection will be installed and maintained at Bar-Ilan University. The sum of 100, 000 Israeli pounds ($33, 000) has been provided to meet the costs. Rabbi Brodie described the gift as “a wonderful and characteristic act of generosity, ” and added there was no better place for such a library than Bar-Ilan University, where future generations of students would find it indispensable and bless the donor.

Rabbi Lookstein said such a gift was infinitely more important than any other kind cause it was “a continuous charity, and not a one time gesture. ” One of the items is scroll of the Law presented to Czar Nicholas II by Russian Jews.